Terror of gunshots and brawl at N1 Centre

Published: 26 February 2010
by RÓISÍN GADELRAB

GUNSHOTS that shocked Friday evening shoppers outside Angel’s N1 Centre could have come from a blank firing gun bought on the internet, police said this week.

The shooting, which followed a mass brawl between two groups of youths, terrified shoppers and workers making their way home for the weekend along Liverpool Road.

More than 20 young people armed with glass bottles and sticks clashed in the street in the early evening, but scattered through the N1 centre when three shots rang through the air.

Special Constables sealed off Liverpool Road between Tolpuddle Street and Chapel Market for two hours while armed response officers and a firearms recovery dog inspected the scene but there was no sign of any victim, bullets or casings.

Shop staff described seeing school-aged boys fighting in the street, and glass scattered all over the road.
Waitrose closed its Liverpool Road entrance and Sainsbury’s shut for the night.

Now it seems the net is closing in on the mystery shooter. Police have gathered CCTV footage from overlooking shops, including Sainsbury’s, which had a prime view of the mystery teenager, who was wearing a dark hoodie and rode a mountain bike. Officers are also inspecting Islington Council’s own footage, which covers the N1 Centre’s Upper Street entrance.

And forensics experts have gathered the scattered remains of the shattered bottles to collect fingerprints and DNA evidence.

Cara Johns Putra, who works in Shakeaway in the N1 Centre, said: “We were just about ready to close and we heard two gun shots. We freaked out, they were really close. Then a large group of kids ran straight through the centre. There were about 20 of them. Islington’s a pretty good area, I wasn’t expecting it.”

A security guard in one of the centre’s clothes shops said: “It was getting dark. I couldn’t see what they were doing. They were school boys shouting and I heard a gun and then they were running this way and that.”

One supermarket worker described seeing “glass everywhere”.

Detective Constable Steve Goldspring said he is relying on witnesses to come forward to help identify any of the youths involved. So  far not one has been found.

DC Goldspring said: “We’re looking at CCTV and we’re hopeful it will show who’s involved. It appeared to be two groups of youths throwing bottles at each other. [The shots] did stop the incident because everyone dispersed from the scene.”

He added: “It’s possible that it’s a blank firing weapon. Reports are that three shots were fired.
“No one’s been injured and none of the shops were damaged. We found no trace of any cartridges or bullets. It’s still very serious even if it’s a blank firing weapon.  It still has the appearance of a real gun. You can probably get them from the internet.

“ I want to reassure the public that it’s an isolated incident and not an attack on the public.”
Police say the suspects, who were about 16 years old, disappeared towards Cloudsley Road and Regent’s Canal.

The suspected shooter was wearing silver or grey trousers and dark trainers. He was riding a white mountain bike and made off towards Tolpuddle Street, where Islington Police Station is based.

Anyone with information on this incident is asked to contact DC Goldspring on 020 7421 0196 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.